An increasing number of home automation applications, personal health care monitoring systems and emergency detection systems have interested research community in investing on Bluetooth low energy (BLE) wireless mesh network. Reliable and guaranteed transfer of data is primary requirement for any communication.
The electronic device applications may include a BLE mesh library as a native application. The BLE wireless mesh network can be configured according to the requirements of the application i.e., the mesh formation and operation of end nodes can be determined based on the application requirements. For example, usage of unicast or broadcast mechanisms can be determined based on application data transfer reliability aspects. There are various aspects of application which are taken into considerations by mesh solutions enabling user configurable mesh formation and mesh utilizing solution. Mesh application programming interfaces (APIs) may be provided for programmers to give application profiles and a universal unique identifier (UUIDs), preferable encryption scheme and keys, data transfer mode, and the like. The Mesh Library provides an API for application development. The mesh library can be configured by an application for service reference. The mesh library may provide different configurations, such as a connection based mesh network and a broadcast based mesh network, and the like.
The BLE mesh may include API's for applications to mention their desired service and UUID, nature of mesh needed, based on a type of service (i.e., connection-less or connection oriented), application's power and latency requirements, desired BLE connection parameters, and the like. The BLE mesh supports an advertising-scanning mode (i.e., connection-less), an aggressive discovery mode, and a connected mode.
The mesh formation logic includes an association logic that performs node authentication, a key exchange procedure and data encryption facility (which can be enabled/disabled). The mesh formation logic also includes topology formation that comprises routing table for best next neighbor or hop selection (connection-oriented) and seed based synchronization amongst nodes (connection-less).
The data forwarding logic includes forwarding UUID specific mesh data to application, interacting with mesh formation to know best routes/advertisement neighbors, connectionless data transfer with or without overhearing.
The mesh traffic handling includes data processing: conversion between mesh and application packet and forwarding mesh traffic for other nodes and services.
BLE mesh networks broadcast packets of the related art are for route discovery and transmission of data. However, broadcast packets are not acknowledged in any wireless systems, thus reducing reliability.
In the BLE mesh network implementation of the related art, communication devices in the mesh network use advertisement/broadcast packet to relay mesh data from one node to another node towards final destination. The total number of advertisement channels are fixed (it is 3 in the case of BLE) and the nature of advertisement/broadcast is unreliable. Accordingly, there is a possibility of packet-loss, collision and interference from other nodes (or even from other medium, such as Wi-Fi, and the like) during data relay at intermediate mesh node. It will create the problem for data transmission and reduce the overall efficiency and capacity of the mesh network.
The BLE devices in the mesh network cannot transmit and receive packet simultaneously. The BLE devices switch their role to perform these tasks. There is possibility of losing packet by neighbour nodes because of their state. If a particular BLE device is in an advertising state, the particular BLE device cannot receive mesh data transmitted by other devices at the same time.
Therefore, a need exists for a method and an apparatus for dynamically forming a service aware BLE mesh network.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.